Oil-control means for slide valve internal-combustion engines



June 9; 1953 4 L.. sKlNNr-:R 2,641,241

OIL-CONTROL MEANS FOR SLIDE VALVE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 17. 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

June 9, 1953.v L sKlNNER 2,641,241

. R. OIL-CONTROL MEANS FOR SLIDE VALVE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 1 7. 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EAL Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL-CONTROL MEANS FOR SLIDE VALVE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Ralph L. Skinner, Detroit, Mich. Application April 1i, 1948, serial No. 21,643 v (Cl. 12s- 196) Claims. i l This invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in oil-control means for internal-combustion engines and more particularly to a means of this character which is primarily intended and pre-eminently suited though not limited to use on engines of the slide-valve type.

Oil pressure in the lubricating system of the engine and oil thrown off at the connecting rod and main bearings and/or agitated by rapidly revolving engine parts causes a heavy vapor or mist of oil to be constantly circulated in kthe l crankcase itself. This vapor or mist condenses on the exposed surfaces of the valves and other parts.' The majority ofthe oil is again returned to the 'oiling system of the engines.

gravated inthe case of slide-valve engines since the lowerportions of the valves actually extendv into and operate in the crankcase. As there are two valves for each cylinder, the total valve surface-exposed to oil vapors or mist in the crankcase is substantial. Oil vapors or mist accumulates on both the inner and outer surfaces of the slide valves as Well as the adjacent bearing surfaces. This oil creeps upwardly on the valves to the inlet and exhaust ports of the engine and thence into the ring chambers where it isv burned. Not only does the above phenomena result in 'excessiveoil consumption,v but oil gaining access to the firing chambers causes objectionable smoke and vapors and produces excessive'4 anddetrimental deposits on the engine parts.

In addition to the above, a considerable amount of'oil seeps or is forced out of the engine through the front and rear main bearings which support4 the crankshaft even though packing means are providedor through other openings, joints or gaskets `in the`oil-circulating system.' Loss of oil in this manner manifestly becomes worse as the engine becomes older and the parts become worn. Apparently this phenomenon is Vdue at least partially to a build-up of pressures higher than atmosphere in the crankcas'e due to blowby or other causes'. and to the oil working along `the revolving shafts. y

From 'the foregoing it will be at once apparent that oil economy is a very real, if not vital, problem in all types of engines andV thatgthis problem" is particularly pronounced in slide-valve engines. Various answers to the problem have been suggestedfrom time to time; but, to my knowledge,

This oil ultimately works its'way Yinto the firing cham-A bers Vand isburned.. Oil loss is particularly ag- I have now discovered that oil consumption of internal-combustion engines can be drastically reduced by maintaining a vacuum in the entire crankcase so that all of the internal parts and surfaces of the engine are subject to a reduction in pressure during operation of the engine. By

maintaining this vacuum I increase the oil economy of slide-valve engines to such an extent that they compare favorably with poppet valve or. other types of engines. At the same time quieter operation and other advantages inherent in slide-valve engines are retained. Creepage of oil past the pistons and valves is greatly reduced, and loss of oil through the Amain bearings and other relatively tight openings is substantially eliminated.

Also, in internal-combustion engines blowby past the pistons'produces certain destructive and detrimental effects in the crankcase.y

For example, the blow-by gases dilute the lubrieating oil and may reduce the lubricity charno one has heretofore developed a slide-valve enginey that will vcompare favorably with poppetpoint "of` oil consumption.

valveoi other types of engines from the s'tandacteristics of the lubricant to such an extent that excessive wear of bearing surfaces or moving parts occurs. f

To eliminate this dilution or contamination,

crankcase' ventilation systems are conventionally provided on all engines, which ventilation systems constantly remove the blow-by gases from the crankcase by..suction and introduce fresh air into the crankcase to accelerate the motion of the air therethrough. In introducing this air,.-

the moisture content of the air condenses upon contact with the metal parts of the engine, and

eventually this moisture mixes with the oil in.v

the engine lubricating system, causing objectionable sludge, emulsion, and in very cold weather the moisture often freezes. The freezing renders the oil pump and other parts inoperative, and serious damage often results.

Asa special application of the invention, I

. withdraw oil and blow-by vapors containing fuel and moisture contaminants from the crankcase and separate the fractions in a special distilling or fractionating chamber.v The separated blowby gases are conducted continuously to the ntake manifold for reburning and the separated oil moiety is returned at intervals to the crankcase. from the crankcase by means ofa vacuum and the sameivacuurnV source used to reduce the pressure in the crankcase may be used for this purpose. I prefer to use the vacuum in the Vintake manifold to reduce the pressure lin the crankcase and-also to withdraw the vapors fromthe crankcashowevr, ya .separate vacuum pump The vapors preferably are withdrawny i and occasionally special sealsmaybe provided for the main crankshaft bearings. 1- In practice, the crankcase may be placed in communication with the intake manifold of the engine as this will produce a suflicient reduction in pressure to achieve the objects of my invention. If thecrankcase is properly sealed, the pressure in the crankcase will be only slightly greater than in the intake manifold during operation of the engine. If this is done, however, the pressure in the crankcase will vary as the pressure in the manifold. Usually this is not objectionable. Under some circumstancesit may be desirable to main-A tain a uniform reduced pressure in thecrankcase, and a vacuum pump may then be used as the vacuum source in place of the intake manifold. 5 Y

l'As suggested, I also provide the engine with means for drawing oil vapors andblow-by gases from the crankcase, separating the two constituents and ultimately returning the. oil to the crankcase `while simultaneously directing the blow-by gases to the intake manifoldfor redistribution to the variousA firing chambers.v Pro--v longed tests `under actual service conditions have demonstrated that the present invention effects a substantial saving of oil and a material increase in fuel economy. In the case of slide-valve engines I have increased the oil economy from four to ten times by application of the principles referred to above andl hereinafter described in de tail.

More particularly, I provide a generally cylindrical, vertically elongated metal casing or housing 62 which has upper and lower chambers 64 and 66 separated'by an inclined, transversepartition 68. The lower end of housing 62 is open to provide an inlet for the lower chamber 66. Also, it will be observed that the housing 62 is formed with a branch extension 12 which provides anv outlet14 for the lower chamber 66.`

In conventional practice, a `hose 16 is fastened overa boss 18 on the ycylinder head 52, which boss forms an outlet for the water jacket through which water iscirculated constantly during operation of the vehicle to cool the engine. Relatively cool water from the radiator is chargedv any suitable manner as by a flexible coupling 89,

and the hose 'i6 is slipped over the branch outlet 12.

Thus, during; operation of the vehicle, heated water from the engine flows constantly through the lower chamber'66 and across the partition 6B. The housing 62 is formed of metal or other heat-conductive material and the water flowing th-roughvthe lowerchamber 66 heats the parti tion 68 and maintains the lower portion of the upperchamber 64 in a heated condition at all times,

Screwed into the upper endof housing 62 is a cap v82 which'has a centrally located outlet port 84. A. sealing gasket 86 between cap 82 and thev endof housing 62 effects a fluidtight joint therebetween.- A tube 88 extends `from the outlet port and is connected to the riser of intake manifold 32H`bya coupling 89 so that the manifold may be ber-s ber 64 should be shut off when the engine is started and for a short interval after it is started in order to permit the engine to fire and to come up to ,running speed. To this end I provide a` valve 96within chamber 64, which valve is carried by a conventional expandible and retractable metal bellows 92 commonly referred to in the trade as a sylphon and the valve is adapted to seat upwardly against a ported, disk-shaped, closure plate 93. The sylphon 92 is fastened at its upper 'end to cap 82 centrally within an annular series of branch passages which connect the outlet port 84 with the chamber 64, and the valve 90 normally closes an annular series of holes in the plate 93, as shown in Fig. 4.

When the engine is started, the parts are positioned as shown in the drawing. However, ,after the engine has fired and come up to running speed the pressure-sensitive sylphon" 92 .re

sponds to a reduced-pressure in the tube 88 to move valve 90 downwardly away from plate :93

and to open the holes 95 whereby the vacuum effect in tube 88 is transmitted to the entire chamber 64. Inasmuch as the sylphon 92 also is heat-sensitive, the heat in upper chamber 64 assists in holding the valve 90 open after thej engine has operated long enough to heat the coolant which flows through the lower chamber When the engine is turnedoff, the sylphon.v automatically closes valve 90 preparatory to the.;

time the engine is again started.

VOil vapors and blow-by gases in the crankcase are conducted to chamber 64 by a tube 94. The' latter may be connected to the crankcase -at any point above the normal level of the lubricant 60 'therein and preferably is connected to the housv ing 62 substantially midway between the top and bottom of chamber 64.

In practice;V the lower end ofY tube 94 conveniently can be connected to the conventional filler or vent pipe 96 by'a suitable adapter or coupling designated generallyby the numeral 91. In any event, the connection between tube 94 and pipe 96 should be fluidtight as this tubeco-operates with the chamber 64 and tube 88 to establish communication be tween the intake manifold 32 and the crankcase.

As a consequence, the-crankcase and associated parts of the engine also are placed under vacuum; An annular bafe 98 depends from cap 82 to a point below the side opening |60 which receives the upper end of tube 94. The baille 98 is spacedf circumferentially from the housing 62 and serves to deflect oil vapors and bloW-bygases delivered to the. chamber 64 by tube 94 downwardly to the bottom ofthe chamber. Also, in the form of theinvention here shown by way of illustration,

the ported transverse plate 93 is mounted within the baille 98.

In practice, the oil vapors accumulate inthe bottom of chamber 64 and the blow-by gases pass upwardly past the open valve 90 through theperforation's'` 95, into outlet port 84 and thence through the tube 88 to the intake manifold 32 where they are blended with fresh fuel from the carburetor i 62 and again distributed to th various firing' chambers of the engine.

Oil which accumulates in the lower portion of chamber 64 is returned to the crankcase through a tube |04.Preferably, ay ball-check valve |06 i is interposed between-the housing 62' and theupper 'endr'off tubing fi M, andfinthisi-z-conntloni it wlllfibe :'.ob'servedrl thatftheapassagei lul-fithrouh theichecle-valvemasembly ds; loca/ted? 'a'slightf distance above the-:bottomvof 'f'.chamber: Sl. l As lrlong asl-oil: withinl thexchambenlhls belowlthe passage lfywacuum within the. chamber n'wiltholdsfrthe ballaelementl- Irl Uwlosed. f Howeverpwhenllthewoil inrchamberlsl rises .to 1 a 1predeterminedi.y devel aboveo-passage.-i`08, ithebiballfielement M falls oili'tof'drainibackrtoithe crankcaSe. 'After aiportioni-ofitheoilihasdrained :from chamber ll'lthe balli element: '|10 again seatsL anduthe 'icycleA of operationfismepeated.

in; f extremely i high' f enginev Aspeeds 'lit .sis i-possibl'e. thatlthei'vacuuml in intake-manifoldiwiltbe insuilicienti'to overcomeithenpressureilouilt Jupin crankcase yit!1byiblow-by gases. i AInlorder 'tofpern-iit cranlrryaset breathing runder' ftheseaconditi'ons,

valve 90f and@ thereby 'extends itlfie'vfvacuum'toA cli-arnhemBtlztube 34,' and vvthea-sealed crankoase 1.0. l Vacuum within `the'chambier Methen: causes thenb'all: check ffl-i 0 .LtoA close.

lIn connectionxwith theabovetituwill bevreadily apparent: :that ytheuvaieuum' .inircrankcase: l0; and 1 associated' parts'fwill be .substantially equal torthat cneatedjinfthefintake'manifold 32. ilheientirefinterior.ofithe'engineiincludingfthe'surfaces ofslide valvesilu and 2.6;the lower; portionsv oi'pi'stons'fll,

andatheiannular passage vvaboventhe slide? valves 1 whiohf.. accommodates the: springf- 50 yare' all exposedff ytor the;y vacuum.

.f fThefreduoed: pressure .inthe/crank'case -l 0.-'tora degree; prevents passage `of excess oilI bytherpiston ringsffandntoaa greater :degree: prevents times/oil;y

from passingvzupwardlyaalong therslidewalves and: 2Mo the-:inlet: andi exhaust-ports oftthegring chambers. '..The l vacuum. in :tube-84alsozfeauses oil vapors rin;v the crahkcaseaandibloweby- :gases ningi chamber,r 64. immediately.: upom entering chamberijeSL-g the'y -vapors i strikes/againstfrbeile 98 and are deflected .l downwardly e into ,;the. iheated lower vportion'. of: .the chamber. xThe: `relatively volatile gasoline vapors rise in chamber:NamasteI velvet 5t andfthrouglitube: 881to' mhexintake 'manifold i132 in -the i i manner :hereinabove e described whileythe.` oil vapors: condense and'accumuiatefin the:.bot tom.ofnthechainber. As soon assuioient oilwcollectsrinchamber' 64 =to overcome the checkfi valve. 406;' ball element i .l il fallsfrom :its-seat and allowsuthefundlutedzoilitoreturn tov crankcase :I 0.

process:isieontinuousand automatic.

g Itis tobeunderstood that-.the form-ofv-thefinvention therewith' shown.` and. describedAt-is-to be.:

taken as a preferred:exampleionthe:sameand thattvaiious. changes in the` size; shapeiiandi'arrangement,A of ,parts Amayy v=-be resorted' .tov without departing.,from'rthespirit ofv-thermvention. on the sopeiofvthe: appended. claims.

. pair:y 'of substantially: 'sem-icylinrlrical .1 slide'vaives 8 'f-fHaving thusfdesci'ibed: thefinvex'ition I'fcl'aim: l. ann internalecombustion flxengineel having "i s.

sealed i l cnankcase, cylinders mountedy fon zsad crankcase-and providing .combustion .chambers having inlet! "andexhaust sports, each cylinder oompifisingwconcentricieylinderrmembers pmvidingf spaced innen randifoutei". wal1s, a Ifiueliiintaxe system Lwh-ic'hE r supplies fuellato the' 'combustion c har'nbersi of the 'engine and als normally under vacuum 'during"operation'of'lthef engine, and a fort-'each feembus'tion4 chamberf fmount'ed'ior reciprocation"*between-Yy @said inner r and 'router-#walls and' controlling "the iin'let and# exhaiistvportsflbf the combustion l'cli.'mibexs', Tthetwo v'alvesfln' each pairfextentlinglongitudinally ofthe 'cylinder 'and downwardly into the crankcase andV being separatedfatltheflongitndinaledges thereot-so that thevedges 'of theffvalves'are exposdftoconditions in lthe cra'nkcase;` :and means-,interconnecting Amld fuel intakesystem andthe crankcase-iso'thatf-substantialiy -the same' vacuum is'f'maintaind 'infithe crankcase andl'on'fthe Isurfacesf'offy the' valves fasds maintaineddn `thefuelfintakesystem. v

` 2."In v1an internal-combustione engine off the ola-ss'v having al` crankcasm` cylinders finountedon said" `cra-nkcase zproviding v'combustion f chambers having f inlet and exhaustif ports," feachffcyiinder comprising vconcentricicylindierimembersprovlding spacedfinner-'and outerannularwallsr alp'air raf-"substantially semicylidrical fslides'valvesfor each combustion chamber mounted for reciprocation betweenH-saidfinnerandouterflw'alls and'controlling'the 'i inlet and# eirhaustvportg of? the-combustion chamber;"the two 'slide valves in yeach pair extending v "longitudinally iof the y"cylinder l and clo'vvnvvarelly`, intothe I crankcaseff and'y being Avsep-- arated at-the longito'lin'al edgesffthereofyto'diine longitudinal passagesi therebetween. said longitu'clinal f passages' extending the" yfull-*length ofithe xf/alvesffan'd r 'communicating ywithl the crankcasa the l' combination with. said' crankcase 2 and' said slide valves of a-fvaouum producer'` connected .to the: 'crankcaseforreducing 'the pressure rinI the craiikcase,v tthe -rlongitu'dinal passages between theslide valvesv and thenceA simultaneously -to` ithe entire' inner and outer su'rfacesfot 'thevalves from the= longitudinal edgesfthereoff'said reductionvof pressureon; -thefsurfacesi of Ithe valves "being x"operative to inhibit passage of oil from thelcra'nkcaseto'thecombustion 'chambers ypaisa-thevalves due to'pressurediiferent/ialnormally obtaining in the'crankcasearid-r in thev combustion 'chambers off4 the k'engine i and "duefl to reciprocation dof'ithe valves rinfuse.

- 3ifIn:an:interna1-combustionl enginek `havingfal crankcase, cylinders mounted on said cranlwase and iprovidingcr'combustionchambers xhaving'iiz'ilet andiexhait-ports; -ea'chfcylinder,comprising concentric' `cylinder membersproviding spaced f inner and :outer *.walls,` ai fuel iintalrey system which supplies'frfuel f/ tolzthe [combustion: fchamb'ers of vthe engine and is i normally: under*v vacuumiduring operation oitthefengine, and a-pairofisubstantially semicylindricaly slide valves for-reach combustion chamber mounted for reciprocation betweemsaid inneriancliouter .-wallsfand'ccontrolling therginlet andiiexhaust 'i ports Lofi'the fcombustion: chambers, thextwo l:Valves in each/pair extending` longitudinally` 'of. .the cylinder and. rdownwardly into: lthe crankcase.andabeine'separatedfat.the'longitudinal edges l'theireoiso thatthe, edges of .thev .valvesl are exposed toi-conditions innithe yscranlicaise.. means interconneotingesaid.ffuelintakeesystemtand the crankcase so that substantially the same vacuum is maintained in the crankcase and on the surfaces of the valves as is maintained in the fuel intake system, and means for collecting and accumulating oil vapors withdrawn from the crankcase by said last-mentioned means.

4. In an internal-combustion enging having a crankcase, cylinders mounted lon said crankcase and providing combustion chambers having inlet and exhaust ports, each cylinder comprising concentric cylinder members providing lspaced inner and outer walls, a fuel intake system which supplies fuel to the combustion chambers of the engine and is normally under vacuum during operation of the engine, and a pair of substan tially semicylindrcal slide valves for each Icombustion chamber mounted for reciprocation between said inner and outer walls and controlling the inlet and exhaust ports of the combustion chambers, the two valves in each pair extending longitudinally of the cylinder and downwardly into the crankcase and being separated at the longitudinal edges thereof so that the edges of the valves are exposed to conditions in the crankcase, means interconnecting said fuel intake system and the crankease so that substantially the of' same vacuum is maintained in the crankcase land on the surfaces of the valves as is maintained in the fuel intake system, means for collecting and accumulating oil vapors Withdrawn from the crankcase by said last-mentioned means, and means for returning oil so collected and accumulated back to the crankcase.

5. An internal-combustion engine having a orankcase, cylinders mounted on said crankcase and providing combustion chambers having inlet and exhaust ports, each cylinder comprising concentric cylinder members providing spaced inner and outer Walls, a pair of substantially semicylindrical slide valves for each combustion `chamber mounted for reciprocation between said inner and outer walls and controlling the inlet and exhaust ports of the combustion chambers, the two valves in each pair extending longitudinally of the cylinder and downwardly into the crankcase and being separated at the longitudinal edges thereof so that the edges of the valves are exposed to conditions in the crankcase, a vacuum producer having a suction inlet, and means interconnecting the suction inlet of said vacuum producer and the crank-case for reducing the pressure normally obtaining in the crankcase during operation of the engine whereby reduction of pressure in the crankcase is extended into the spaces between the longitudinal edges of the valves and thence simultaneously to the entire inner and outer surfaces of the valves from said longitudinal edges, and whereby said reduction of pressure on the surfaces of the valves is operative to inhibit passage of oil from the crankcase to the combustion chambers past the valves due to pressure ldiierential normally obtaining in the crankcase and in said combustion chambers during reoiprocation of the valves in use.

RALPH L. SKINNER.

References Cited in the le oi this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,010,566 Al-ltree Dec. 5, 1911 1,236,187 Lemp Aug. 7, 1917 1,342,063 Perry June 1, 1920 1,421,858 Thomas July 4, 1922 1,427,337 Tracy Aug. 29, 1922 1,459,301 Good June 19, 1923 1,600,664 Cavitt Sept, 21, 1926 1,638,319 Briggs Aug. 9, 1927 1,646,298 Ltle Oct. 18, 1927 1,669,977 Evans May 15, 1928 1,732,645 Fekete Oct. 22, 1929 1,800,479 Skinner Apr. 14, 1931 1,800,481 Skinner Apr. 14, 1931 1,821,991 Skinner Sept. 8, 1931 1,879,248 Holloway Sept. 27, 1932 2,092,235 Whittington Sept. 7, 1937 2,114,240 Sharrard Apr. 12, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 'Number Country Date 552,592 France Jan. 24, 1923 OTHER REFERENCES Serial No. 412,524, Lautrette (A. P. CJ, published May 11, 1943. 

